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SAYLORSBURG - When the final 20-lap segment of the inaugural Bob Tidaback Memorial ALL STAR TQ race got under way, most all in attendance could sense the outcome would be a shootout between front row starters Lou Cicconi and Anthony Sesely. Indeed, that's just how the race played out.

Cicconi, who is a master of racing three quarter midget cars on tight confines and Sesely, the established asphalt Modified champion who has become a rising star in TQ racing after winning this year's Fatheadz Eyewear TQ Indoor Racing Series title, battled each other hard and close as was expected of them.

Sesely, of Matawan, N.J., came out the winner of the event that paid tribute to the memory of Bob Tidaback, Sr., a renowned TQ car owner from the days of the former Pine Brook Speedway and beyond. With his son, Mike Tidaback behind the wheel of the signature No. 43, they won four American Three Quarter Midget Racing Association (ATQMRA) championships and countless races.

Despite a stellar field of TQ aces that included a mix of drivers from the ATQMRA and those from the 600cc dirt sprint ranks that came out to partake in the prestigious event held Saturday at 1/7th mile Borger's Speedway, it became apparent once the final lineup was set that it would be a dogfight amongst the aforementioned front row.

After several aborted restarts at the outset, Sesely made it known that he was not going to make it easy as he took several jabs at pole-sitter Cicconi's lead.

Once the race got under way Cicconi again held off the advances of Sesely. Then on the second circuit Sesely was able to slip to the inside coming off turn two. They then went double wide down the back straight and as they entered turns three and four, Sesely banged up against Cicconi, which sent him slightly out of the racing groove.

Sesely stayed in line and came out as the new race leader. Cicconi was quick to recover and from there to the finish they would run nip and tuck.

"This little car has shown itself before. I was just a little better then Louie (Cicconi) in the beginning," Sesely said. "It took him a couple of laps to come in so I knew on the start I was going to have to make something happen or it would have turned out to be a second place finish for us."

Near the closing laps Sesely was able to pull to a content margin en route to the checkers while fast moving Matt Janisch zeroed in on Cicconi and just missed grabbing the second spot at the line. Rob Vivona and Austin Fehr completed the top five.

The 50-lap event was staged in three segments that included two 15-lap runs and the final 20. In the first segment all drivers that finished on the lead lap were then inverted for the start of segment two.

Cicconi, who was driving a car owned by Mike Roselli, Sr., held off current ATQMRA point leader Ryan Tidman for the win. In the second race Mike Tidaback nipped Vivona for the verdict. Afterwards the starting grid for the last segment was determined by virtue of the average finish from those two events.

"It was a really good race and with a strong group of cars," noted Sesely. "The first two segments I was riding around and just saving my stuff for the last segment.

"I love coming here. It's very demanding here compared to indoors. This place can wear you out. I really enjoy running these cars and coming here to Borger's. Lou (Cicconi) and I ran side-by-side and that's nothing more than you can ask for. It was good, clean hard racing."

The feature paid $750 to win but there was over $2,000 in lap money that was collected which sweetened Sesely's winnings.

"I'm proud and honored to win tonight. The Tidaback family has been around for a long time and to beat this field of cars that was here is a real accomplishment," he said. "My hat's off to everyone who helped put this event together."

Sesely's car was purpose built for indoor racing but earlier this season he brought it to Borger's and won the TQ season opener. Of interest is the fact that Cicconi had a hand in designing the Hyper chassis car which has a 600cc Kawasaki motor prepared by Dave Orange of Millville, N.J. Sesely piloted the car to victory in this year's Gamblers Classic at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

"Anthony doesn't mess around and he's always right on the money on restarts. I lost my brakes near the end of the race but despite that he beat me fair and square," said Cicconi, who also had an input into the plan design Drinan chassis No. 98x he drove. The same car won the week prior at Mahoning Valley Speedway with Earl Paules behind the wheel.

A solid field of 23 TQ/600 midgets signed in to race with Tidman, Cicconi, Mike Osite and Janisch scoring heat wins. The top three in each heat received money courtesy of the Malik family on behalf of John and Pat Malik, who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

The event was an unqualified success thanks largely to the efforts of the Tidaback family as well as Blu Metz. Borger's promoter Brandon O'Connor was ecstatic over the great turnout of cars and has already begun making plans for next year's race.

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